boost children’s literacy and education. Children can study after dark with good reading light. The increased study time also leads to higher pass rates and marks in school.

support families’ health. Our lanterns replace kerosene lamps, whose fumes contribute to diseases like asthma, pneumonia, and even lung cancer. Mothers and young children, at home the most, are especially vulnerable.

help parents feed their children. Parents freed from costly kerosene purchases spend much of their savings on food, our research shows.

aid economic development. Families are empowered to extend their productivity into the evening hours. Better educated children can get better jobs and help raise their families out of poverty.

fight climate change. Each kerosene lamp replaced can prevent the release of over a ton of carbon dioxide.

Just $10 can give a student a lantern—not only this year, but every year from now on! This is made possible by Lit!’s revolving fund model: some of each family’s kerosene savings goes into a fund this year to purchase lanterns for next year’s incoming students, and so on.

Lit!Solar was developed by Ben Hirschfeld as a 15-year old high school freshman. He and his team of local teens, aided by youth volunteers across the United States, actively fundraised through farmers’ markets and music festivals, benefit concerts and read-a-thons. He has continued Lit! into college, engaging student groups in fundraisers at his school, Columbia University.